August always feels like a turning point in the garden. The excitement and anticipation of what’s going to do well settles into a daily rhythm of watering, harvesting, keeping the little out of the garden, pulling weeds, and wondering if my tomatoes and cucumbers are ever going to shine.
Some plants are thriving. Others have become an all you can eat buffet for everything else but us. A few have completely given up on me. But honestly, that’s gardening. Every season teaches me something new, and this backyard has never been about perfection; it’s about learning as we grow.
Here’s what our backyard looks like right now.
What’s Thriving
This time of year always surprises me with what decides to take off and what decides to fall flat.
Peppers
The peppers have found their groove. They seemed to sit frozen for weeks, but now we’re harvesting peppers almost every time we walk through the garden.
Herbs
The herbs have been the real MVPs this summer.
Basil is finding its way into almost every dinner, parsley is getting tossed into everything, and fresh rosemary (a recent addition) has become one of my favorite additions.
One of my goals next year is to plant and dry even more herbs so we can enjoy them through the winter.
Tomatoes
The tomatoes are finally producing in abundance. Every day there’s another handful ready to pick, and we’re quickly reaching the point where fresh eating turns into preserving season. And thank goodness there are tomatoes ready to pick every day, because they were the easiest thing to teach the little about being ready. I’ve had a few peppers and zucchini that were picked WAAAAYYY too early because he was so excited…but tomatoes, he knows exactly what to look for and is so excited to bring them in to show me.
Brassicas
The broccoli and kale were absolute main characters! Ok, so I’m not sure why I decided to plant six kale plants when we eat kale barely ever… I’ll blame it on garden excitement. I harvested so much kale and still have some left over that needs to go. At this point, my salad bed is late on becoming a bean bed because of the kale I still have. I used a ton of kale as the green in my creamy tuscan chicken recipe and gave bags and bags away to friends. Kale is my version of zucchini this year. My broccoli was another star. I was able to harvest multiple heads to cook up with dinner, and I’ve had enough smaller offshoots that have grown enough to be harvested and enjoyed. I still haven’t pulled it because we have a few more offshoots that are developing, and I want to use every single last bit of it because I pull it and plant my fall crops in that bed. While we’ve had a few cabbage caterpillars, I was able to spot them early and relocate them to my chicken run to meet some friends…
Also, the cabbage is finally balling up. I continue to check under the leaves for creepy crawlies before they can do too much damage, but I figure that if the cabbage isn’t good when it’s completely ready to be picked, then my roosters (I have three…) and the hens will enjoy a yummy treat.
What’s Been a Challenge
Not everything has gone according to plan.
The zucchini started out so strong. I decided to tree one and keep one traditional to see what does best. I’ve picked more from the traditionally grown plant, but the squash bugs have really taken to that one the most. They are constantly testing me to see who’s really in charge. Between the bugs and the heat, the plants definitely aren’t looking as great as they did in June. I’m also getting nonstop male flowers and very few female flowers. I did get a leg sized zucchini that gave me probably 10 cups of shredded zucchini, another big one that needs to be processed (I’m thinking zucchini “pineapple” or zucchini “apple pie”), and two normal sized zuccs. I struggle the most with teaching the little to wait and be patient with the zucchini. He is rummaging through my plants looking for “kini” nonstop.
Then there’s the never-ending battle with weeds. I swear I can spend hours pulling them only to walk outside the next morning to find that they were quickly replaced with more.
The Bugs Are Winning… Sometimes
The garden this year has reminded me that I’m not the only one excited about the vegetables.
This summer we’ve dealt with:
- Squash vine borers
- Green cabbage worms
- Japanese beetles
- Lanternflies making themselves a little too comfortable in my zucchini plants
Every year there is a new challenge, and that’s okay. Some years are about huge harvests. Other years are about learning what works and what definitely doesn’t.
What We’re Harvesting Right Now
This week we’ve been bringing in:
- Tomatoes
- Peppers
- Basil
- Parsley
- Broccoli
- Whatever zucchini survives another day
One of my favorite parts of summer is walking out to the garden right before dinner is started and grabbing whatever looks ready. There’s something incredibly satisfying about a meal that traveled only a few steps before ending up on the table.
I’m also really enjoying the farm kid excitement that my little has with looking for what’s ready in the garden. But to be honest, there has been a time or two that I yelled at him about picking things before they were ready or accidentally pulling up plants by being too rough. I always feel horrible after the fact and hope and pray that it doesn’t dim any of his excitement of wanting to go out there and look every morning. I also didn’t expect my big, who is a lover of all fruits and vegetables, to not be interested at all in the garden. This is the first year that I’m not battling him more than the bugs. He normally gets and eats the tomatoes and berries before I can even get into the garden to see what’s ready. It’s a little saddening and I’m hoping that his interest picks back up when fall crops start popping up.
Looking Ahead to Fall
Even though August is still hot, I’m already thinking ahead.
Over the next few weeks, I’m going to be planting cool-season crops like:
- Lettuce
- Spinach
- Kale
- Radishes
- More carrots
I’ve never had a successful fall garden, and I’m really thinking that it will become one of my favorite seasons. The cooler temperatures should make for working outside more enjoyable, and it’s always exciting to see fresh plants growing while everything else begins slowing down.
A Garden Doesn’t Have to Be Perfect
When I scroll the socials, it’s easy to think everyone else’s garden is overflowing with beautiful vegetables and perfectly weeded beds.
Mine isn’t.
Some plants are thriving. Some are struggling. Some have been late transplants because the first plants didn’t do well enough. Some have become lunch for the bugs. Some have become meals for the chickens.
And…I’m okay with that.
Every planting season teaches us something new. Every harvest, big or small, is worth celebrating. This backyard isn’t perfect, but it’s ours, and every pepper and tomato picked, every herb snipped, and every lesson learned makes the work worth it.
As summer begins to wind down, I’m continuing to enjoy these mornings and evenings outside. The ones when I’m in the chicken run, brushing out Spirit, or in the garden and listening to the laughter and fighting of the boys. Soon enough, backpacks will replace egg and garden baskets, lesson plans and data review will replace seed packets and plant tracking, and another growing season will become another closed chapter of our family’s story.
Until then, you’ll find me in the backyard, with dirty hands and feet, a basket of vegetables and eggs, and hopefully a good book waiting for me on the porch.
What’s growing in your garden this August? I’d love to hear what’s thriving, what’s struggling, and what you’re looking forward to planting this fall!
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